22nd-23rd June, 2021

 

Myanmar saw an urban warfare on the morning of 22 June. A two-hour exchange of fire broke out when the junta troops have attempted to raid a building where some members of the Mandalay-based People's Defense Forces were stationed. Captain Tun Tawk Naing of the Mandalay PDF told Myanmar Now that two MPDF members had been killed and six others arrested during the raid, and that three members of the DRPA that had come to their aid had also been killed. The junta announced that eight PDF members had been killed and eight arrested. However, RFA reported that the four dead were not related to PDFs, but were Palaung youths who died in a car accident when they were chased by the junta. 

According to the Irrawaddy, three soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel from the 41st Military Academy and a captain, were among the dead. A video footage shows the junta troop using RPG against the PDF. Those who shared photos and videos on Facebook during the shootings were also strongly criticized by netizens, saying that those footages disturbed the guerrilla movement of the PDFs and led to the loss of the battle.

In the aftermath of the attack, People's Defense Forces in Mandalay and nearby towns, including Bago, Kyaukse, Pyin Oo Lwin, announced that they would retaliate strongly against the junta troops, with shootings and bombings taking place in some areas yesterday and today. Street protests in support of the Mandalay PDF have also erupted in some cities.

Mindat PDF and the junta released a five-point agreement today. These include not to carry out inspections with guns in Mindat, not to force CDM civil servants to return to work, and to allow vehicles with aids for IDPs. 

In Yangon’s Hlaing Township, a man who was involved in nationalist extremist activities and known as an informer was shot dead today. A local administrator appointed by the junta in Thaton Township, Mon State and another local administrator in Myawaddy, Karen State, were assassinated on 21 and 23 June, bringing the total to more than 25, RFA reported.

According to Myanmar Now, the coup leader and Russia’s military has signed a bilateral agreement on using ports of the two countries for their warships. However, netizens have ridiculed him for not being able to meet with the Russian president and for not being welcomed at Moscow airport as a head of state.

Myanmar’s well-known Rock star Raymond, who was charged under the penal code of 505(a), died this morning in a jungle in Karen State. He was assumed to be dead of malaria, but his friend wrote on Facebook that he had died of a gastric hemorrhage. Some locals told Khit Thit that a fighting breaking out near the Bala Min Htin Bridge in Myitkyina, Kachin State since at around 7:30 pm tonight.